US7252899B2 - Fuel cell - Google Patents
Fuel cell Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US7252899B2 US7252899B2 US10/945,267 US94526704A US7252899B2 US 7252899 B2 US7252899 B2 US 7252899B2 US 94526704 A US94526704 A US 94526704A US 7252899 B2 US7252899 B2 US 7252899B2
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- Prior art keywords
- fuel
- electronic device
- passage
- fuel cell
- electromotive unit
- Prior art date
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
- H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
- H01M8/04186—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
- H01M8/04194—Concentration measuring cells
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
- H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
- H01M8/04201—Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
- H01M8/04007—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids related to heat exchange
- H01M8/04059—Evaporative processes for the cooling of a fuel cell
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
- H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
- H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
- H01M8/04097—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with recycling of the reactants
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
- H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
- H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
- H01M8/04119—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying
- H01M8/04156—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying with product water removal
- H01M8/04164—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying with product water removal by condensers, gas-liquid separators or filters
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
- H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
- H01M8/04186—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M8/10—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
- H01M8/1009—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes with one of the reactants being liquid, solid or liquid-charged
- H01M8/1011—Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02E60/10—Energy storage using batteries
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
- Y02E60/50—Fuel cells
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a fuel cell usable as a power source for an electronic device or the like.
- DMFC direct methanol fuel cell
- a DMFC has a housing that houses a generator section for actual power generation and a control circuit section that controls the operation of the generator section.
- the generator section is provided with a fuel tank, mixing tank, liquid pump, air pump, etc.
- the fuel tank contains high-concentration methanol.
- the methanol in the fuel tank is diluted with water in the mixing tank.
- the liquid pump pressure-feeds the methanol that is diluted in the mixing tank to an electromotive unit.
- the air pump is used to supply air to the electromotive unit.
- the electromotive unit has an anode and a cathode. It generates power based on a chemical reaction by feeding the diluted methanol and air to the anode and cathode sides, respectively. As this is done, the electromotive unit is heated to a high temperature by the reaction heat that is produced by a chemical change.
- the control circuit section is provided with a printed circuit board in the housing and semiconductor devices mounted on the circuit board.
- a fuel cell described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-6777 for example, heat that is produced by power generation is discharged into the housing via the surface of the electromotive unit and anode and cathode passages. Air in the housing is discharged for ventilation with a cooling fan or air blower that is attached to the inner surface of the housing.
- the fuel cell constructed in this manner When the fuel cell constructed in this manner is connected to an electronic device to be operated, a battery of the device is used as an auxiliary power source, since the fuel cell has no auxiliary battery therein.
- the electromotive unit of the fuel cell When the electromotive unit of the fuel cell is not in power generating operation, the fuel cell cannot singly provide any auxiliary power source for driving the air pump, liquid pump, solenoid valves, etc.
- a fuel cell comprises: a generator section having an electromotive unit which generates power based on a chemical reaction, a fuel tank which contains fuel, a passage which is connected to the electromotive unit and through which fluids, including the fuel, water, and air, are circulated, and a valve mechanism which is located in the passage and regulates the circulation of the fluids; a control section which has a connector connectable to an electronic device and controls operation of the generator section; and a locking mechanism having a locking member, movable between a locking position in which the locking member locks the electronic device connected to the connector in a connected position and a release position in which the electronic device is unlocked, and an eject member which moves the locking member from the locking position to the release position.
- the control section has a detector which detects movement of the eject member, and a valve drive unit which closes the valve mechanism of the generator section when the movement of the eject member is detected by the detector.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the invention
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the fuel cell connected to a personal computer
- FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the fuel cell and the personal computer
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a bottom wall of a housing of the fuel cell
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the interior of the fuel cell
- FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a locking mechanism of the fuel cell
- FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the locking mechanism of the fuel cell
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a terminal area of the personal computer
- FIG. 9 is a plan view, partially in section, showing the fuel cell
- FIG. 10 is a view schematically showing a generator section of the fuel cell
- FIG. 11 is a view typically showing a cell structure of an electromotive unit of the fuel cell
- FIG. 12 is a view typically showing a cathode passage and a second radiator section of the fuel cell.
- FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the generator section and a control section of the fuel cell.
- a fuel cell 10 is formed of DMFCs that use methanol as a liquid fuel. It can be used as a power source for an electronic device, such as a personal computer 11 .
- the fuel cell 10 is provided with a housing 12 .
- the housing 12 has a substantially prism-shaped body 14 that extends horizontally and a bearer section 16 that extends from the body.
- the bearer section 16 is a flat rectangular structure that can carry a rear portion of the personal computer 11 thereon.
- the body 14 of the housing 12 houses a fuel tank, electromotive unit, mixing tank, etc., which constitute a generator section 7 , as mentioned later.
- a control section 29 , a locking mechanism 25 for locking the computer 11 on the bearer section 16 of the housing 12 , etc. are arranged in the bearer section.
- the body 14 has a flat bottom wall 18 a , top wall 18 b , front wall 18 c , rear wall 18 d , and a pair of sidewalls 18 e .
- the bottom wall 18 a is integral with a bottom wall of the bearer section 16 .
- the top wall 18 b extends substantially parallel to the bottom wall 18 a .
- the front wall 18 c is situated between the walls 18 a and 18 b .
- Each sidewall 18 e has an outwardly convex curved surface.
- a large number of vents 20 are formed in the front wall 18 c .
- a large number of vents 21 are formed in the rear wall 18 d .
- One of the sidewalls 18 e of the body 14 is formed having a large number of vents 22 .
- Legs 24 are arranged on the outer surface of the bottom wall 18 a .
- Indicators 23 for indicating the operating state of the fuel cell are arranged on the front end portion of the top wall 18 b of the body 14 .
- the bearer section 16 is provided with a flat top wall 26 that extends forward from the lower end portion of the front wall 18 c of the body 14 .
- the top wall 26 faces the front half of the bottom wall 18 a across a gap and extends slightly declining from the body side.
- the top wall 26 forms a supporting surface 26 a on which the personal computer 11 is placed.
- the interior of the bearer section 16 that is provided with the control section 29 and that of the body 14 in which the generator section 7 is located are divided by a partition wall 42 set up on the bottom wall 18 a .
- the partition wall 42 extends covering the overall length of the housing 12 in its longitudinal direction.
- the wall 42 is formed having a slot 43 through which wires for electrically connecting the generator section 7 and the control section 29 are passed.
- the opening area of the slot 43 is restricted to about 10% or less of the overall area of the partition wall 42 .
- a plurality of slots 43 may be formed in place of one. Also in this case, the sum of the respective opening areas of the slots is preferably be restricted to about 10% or less of the overall area of the wall 42 .
- the bearer section 16 houses the control section 29 for controlling the operation of the generator section 7 .
- the control section 29 is provided with a control circuit board 30 that is located in the bearer section 16 and extends substantially parallel to the top wall 26 .
- Electronic components, including semiconductor devices 28 and a connector 32 are mounted on the circuit board 30 .
- the connector 32 is located adjacent to the body 14 in the center of the bearer section 16 and projects from the supporting surface 26 a through the top wall 26 .
- the control section 29 includes a power source for driving the generator section 7 , a driver, etc.
- the locking mechanism 25 in the bearer section 16 is provided with a locking plate 34 for use as a locking member and an eject lever 36 for use as an eject member.
- the locking plate 34 extends substantially parallel to the top wall 26 of the bearer section 16 and in the horizontal direction. It is supported for movement in a front-back direction A by guide rollers 44 and guide pins 45 on the bottom wall 18 a .
- Hooks 38 numbering, e.g., three, are set up on the locking plate 34 and project from the supporting surface 26 a through the top wall 26 .
- the locking plate 34 has an engaging projection 34 a that projects from its central portion toward the bottom wall 18 a .
- Three positioning protrusions 41 are formed individually adjacent to the hooks 38 on the supporting surface 26 a.
- a pair of tension springs 47 are stretched between the locking plate 34 and the bottom wall 18 a .
- the locking plate 34 is urged toward an illustrated locking position by the springs 47 and held in the locking position by engaging a stopper 48 that protrudes from the bottom wall 18 a .
- the locking plate 34 is moved to an unlocking position as it is pressed toward the body 14 , resisting the urging force of the springs 47 .
- the eject lever 36 is located between the bottom wall 18 a and the locking plate 34 and extends substantially parallel to the top wall 26 of the bearer section 16 .
- the lever 36 is supported by guide protrusions 53 on the bottom wall 18 a for movement in a left-right direction B that is perpendicular to the moving direction of the locking plate 34 .
- An eject button 40 for actuating the eject lever 36 is attached to one end of the eject lever 36 and exposed through one side edge portion of the bearer section 16 .
- a pressure surface 36 a is formed on the other end portion of the eject lever 36 . It extends at an angle to the moving direction B of the eject lever. The pressure surface 36 a is in engagement with the engaging projection 34 a of the locking plate 34 .
- the pressure surface 36 a presses the engaging projection 34 a , thereby moving the locking plate 34 , along with the hooks 38 , from the locking position to the unlocking position.
- a magnet 55 that serves as a detecting element is mounted on the eject lever 36 .
- a magnetic sensor 97 for use as a detector is provided on the back of the control circuit board 30 . It is situated adjacent to the magnet 55 .
- the magnet 55 faces the sensor 97 and is detected by it.
- the magnetic sensor 97 detects the movement of the lever 36 from the initial position toward the pushed-in position, thereby detecting start of eject operation. If the eject button 40 is released from pressure, the locking plate 34 is returned to the locking position by the urging force of the tension springs 47 . As this is done, the eject lever 36 returns to its initial position.
- three engaging recesses 57 are formed in the rear end portion of the bottom wall of the personal computer 11 .
- a connector 71 that can engage the connector 32 of the bearer section 16 is provided in the rear end portion of the bottom wall of the personal computer 11 so as to face the opening 59 .
- the rear end portion of the personal computer 11 is placed in position on the supporting surface 26 a of the bearer section 16 with the positioning protrusions 41 in engagement with the engaging recesses 57 , individually. Thereupon, the connector 32 of the bearer section 16 opens the shutter 67 of the personal computer 11 , is inserted into the opening 59 , and engages the connector 71 of the computer. Thus, the fuel cell 10 and the personal computer 11 are connected mechanically and electrically to each other.
- the hooks 38 of the locking mechanism 25 are pressed and temporarily moved to the unlocking position. Thereafter, the hooks 38 engage their corresponding engaging recesses 57 of the computer and return to the locking position. Thus, the locking mechanism 25 locks the personal computer 11 in a given connected position.
- the generator section 7 comprises a fuel tank 50 on one side in the body 14 , an electromotive unit 52 in the central portion of the body, and a mixing tank 54 on the other side in the body.
- the electromotive unit 52 generates power based on a chemical reaction.
- the fuel tank 50 contains high-concentration methanol as a liquid fuel.
- the tank 50 is formed as a cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the body 14 .
- One side portion of the body 14 is formed as a cover 51 that can be removed when the tank 50 is attached or detached.
- the fuel tank 50 is connected to the mixing tank 54 by means of a fuel supply line (not shown).
- the fuel supply line is provided with a first liquid pump 56 , which feeds the fuel from the fuel tank to the mixing tank.
- the electromotive unit 52 is formed by laminating a plurality of cells. Each cell is formed of an anode (fuel electrode) 58 a , a cathode (air electrode) 58 b , and an electrolyte membrane 60 between the electrodes. A large number of cooling fins 61 are arranged around the electromotive unit 52 .
- the body 14 houses an air pump 64 that supplies air to the cathode 58 b of the electromotive unit 52 through an air valve 63 .
- the air pump 64 constitutes an air supply section.
- a fuel supply pipe 66 a and a fuel recovery pipe 66 b are connected between the electromotive unit 52 and the mixing tank 54 and extend parallel to each other. They form a fuel circulation passage through which fuel as a liquid is circulated between the anode 58 a of the electromotive unit 52 and the mixing tank 54 .
- the fuel supply pipe 66 a is connected with a second liquid pump 68 that feeds the fuel from the mixing tank 54 to the electromotive unit 52 .
- the fuel recovery pipe 66 b is provided with a gas-liquid separator 65 for separating the fuel discharged from the electromotive unit 52 from carbon dioxide produced by the chemical reaction.
- a large number of vertically extending radiator fins 69 are mounted around the fuel supply pipe 66 a and the fuel recovery pipe 66 b , and constitute a first radiator section 70 .
- the vents 21 in the rear wall 18 d of the body 14 are opposed to the first radiator section 70 .
- a discharge pipe 72 is connected to the electromotive unit 52 and forms a cathode passage through which products of power generation and air, as fluids, are discharged.
- the cathode passage has a first passage 72 a , branch passages 72 b , reservoir portion 72 c , recovery passage 72 d , and second passage 72 e .
- the first passage 72 a extends from the electromotive unit 52 .
- the branch passages 72 b diverge from the first passage and extend at an angle to the horizontal direction.
- the reservoir portion 72 c communicates with the first passage and the respective lower ends of the branch passages. It stores water discharged from the first passage and water condensed in the branch passages.
- the recovery passage 72 d guides the water stored in the reservoir portion into the mixing tank 54 .
- the second passage 72 e communicates with the respective upper ends of the branch passages.
- the branch passages 72 b extend individually in the vertical direction.
- the recovery passage 72 d is provided with a recovery pump 76 that supplies the water in the reservoir portion 72 c to the mixing tank 54 .
- a water level detector 77 Located in the reservoir portion 72 c is a water level detector 77 that detects the level of the water in the reservoir portion.
- a large number of horizontally extending radiator fins 74 are mounted around the discharge pipe 72 that forms the branch passages 72 b , and constitute a second radiator section 75 .
- the second radiator section 75 which includes the branch passages 72 b , is opposed substantially parallel to the first radiator section 70 with a gap between them.
- the second passage 72 e extends substantially horizontally and has an exhaust port 78 , which is situated near the vents 22 of the body 14 and opens toward the vents 22 .
- an exhaust valve 80 is located near the exhaust port 78 .
- the second passage 72 e is provided with a gas discharge pipe 81 , which guides carbon dioxide separated by the gas-liquid separator 65 into the second passage 72 e .
- the vents 20 that are formed in the front wall 18 c of the body 14 are opposed to the second radiator section 75 .
- a cooling fan 82 a centrifugal fan, is provided between and opposite the first radiator section 70 and the second radiator section 75 .
- the cooling fan 82 is located so that the rotation axis of its blades extends substantially horizontally and at right angles to the first and second radiator sections 70 and 75 .
- the fan 82 has a fan case that covers the blades. As shown in FIG. 9 , the case is formed having an intake port 84 opposed to the first radiator section 70 , another intake port 84 opposed to the second radiator section 75 , and two exhaust ports 86 a and 86 b that open in a direction tangential to the rotating direction of the blades.
- the one exhaust port 86 a opens toward the vents 22 of the body 14 , and the other exhaust port 86 b toward the electromotive unit 52 .
- the generator section 7 is provided with a tank valve 87 , a concentration sensor 88 , and a concentration detection pump 85 .
- the valve 87 is located in a passage that is connected to the mixing tank 54 .
- the sensor 88 detects the concentration of fuel in the mixing tank 54 .
- the pump 85 circulates the fuel in the mixing tank through the sensor.
- the tank valve 87 , air valve 63 , and exhaust valve 80 are formed of a solenoid valve each, and constitute valve mechanisms that open and close their corresponding passages.
- a control circuit of the control section 29 in the bearer section 16 comprises a CPU 90 , driver 91 , air pump power source 92 , and auxiliary power source 94 .
- the driver 91 is connected to the CPU and serves both as a valve drive unit and as an auxiliary drive unit.
- the power sources 92 and 94 are connected to the driver.
- the connector 32 is connected to the CPU 90 through an interface 95 and also connected to a main power source 96 .
- the first and second liquid pumps 56 and 68 , recovery pump 76 , and concentration detection pump 85 which are arranged in the body 14 and constitute the generator section 7 , are connected electrically to the control circuit board 30 by wires 56 a , 68 a , 76 a and 85 a , respectively. They are connected electrically to the driver 91 through the control circuit board.
- the air pump 64 is connected electrically to the control circuit board 30 by a wire 64 a and connected to the air pump power source 92 through the control circuit board.
- the cooling fan 82 is connected electrically to the control circuit board 30 by a wire 82 a and also connected to the driver 91 .
- the water level detector 77 and the concentration sensor 88 are connected to the control circuit board 30 by wires 77 a and 88 a , respectively. They deliver their respective detection signals to the CPU 90 through an interface 98 .
- the magnet sensor 97 for detecting the movement of the eject lever 36 is connected to the CPU 90 through the interface 98 .
- the electromotive unit 52 is connected to the main power source 96 by a wire 52 a and supplies generated power through the power source 96 and the connector 32 .
- the air valve 63 , exhaust valve 80 , and tank valve 87 are connected electrically to the control circuit board 30 by wires 63 a , 80 a and 87 a , respectively, and also connected to the driver 91 .
- the wires that connect the generator section 7 and the control section 29 are pulled around from inside the body 14 into the bearer section 16 through the slot 43 in the partition wall 42 .
- the fuel cell 10 constructed in this manner is used as a power source for the personal computer 11 , the rear end portion of the computer is first placed on the bearer section 16 of the fuel cell, connected mechanically and electrically to the fuel cell through the connector 32 , and locked in the given connected position. In this state, power generation by the fuel cell 10 is started. At the start of operation, a battery of the personal computer 11 is used to actuate the pumps and open the valves. After power generation by the electromotive unit 52 is started, the individual elements are driven by utilizing electric power supplied from the electromotive unit.
- methanol is supplied from the fuel tank 50 to the mixing tank 54 by the first liquid pump 56 and diluted to a given concentration with water for use as a solvent that flows back from the electromotive unit 52 .
- the methanol that is diluted in the mixing tank 54 is supplied through the anode passage to the anode 58 a of the electromotive unit 52 by the second liquid pump 68 .
- Air is supplied to the cathode 58 b of the electromotive unit 52 by the air pump 64 .
- the supplied methanol and air react chemically in the electrolyte membrane 60 between the anode 58 a and the cathode 58 b .
- Some of the air and steam that are fed to the second passage 72 e pass through the exhaust valve 80 , and are discharged into the body 14 through the exhaust port 78 and further to the outside through the vents 22 of the body.
- the carbon dioxide that is discharged from the side of the anode 58 a of the electromotive unit 52 passes through the second passage 72 e , and is discharged into the body 14 through the exhaust port 78 and further to the outside through the vents 22 of the body.
- the cooling fan 82 is actuated, whereupon the outside air is introduced into the body 14 through the vents 20 and 21 in the body.
- the outside air that is introduced into the body 14 through the vents 21 and the air in the body 14 pass around the first radiator section 70 to cool it, and are then sucked into the fan case through the corresponding intake port 84 for the cooling fan 82 .
- the methanol that flows through the anode passage is cooled to lower the heating temperature of the electromotive unit 52 .
- the outside air that is introduced into the body 14 through the vents 20 and the air in the body 14 pass around the second radiator section 75 to cool it, and are then sucked into the fan case through the other intake port 84 for the fan 82 .
- the air and the reaction products that flow through the cathode passage are cooled.
- the air sucked into the fan case is discharged into the body 14 through the exhaust ports 86 a and 86 b .
- the air discharged through the exhaust port 86 a passes around the mixing tank 54 to cool it, and is discharged to the outside through the vents 22 .
- the air discharged through the exhaust port 86 a is mixed with the air, steam, and carbon dioxide that are discharged through the exhaust port 78 of the cathode passage.
- the resulting mixture is discharged to the outside of the body 14 through the vents 22 .
- the air discharged through the other exhaust port 86 b is discharged from the body 14 after having cooled the electromotive unit 52 and its surroundings.
- the concentration of methanol in the mixing tank 54 is detected by the concentration sensor 88 .
- the control section 29 actuates the recovery pump 76 in accordance with the detected concentration to feed the water in the reservoir portion 72 c into the tank 54 , thereby keeping the methanol concentration constant.
- the amount of water recovery or steam condensation in the cathode passage is adjusted by controlling the cooling capacity of the second radiator section 75 in accordance with the level of the water recovered in the reservoir portion 72 c .
- the cooling capacity of the radiator section 75 is adjusted to regulate the water recovery amount by controlling the drive voltage for the cooling fan 82 in accordance with the water level detected by the water level detector 77 .
- the control section 29 controls the flow rate of the recovery pump 76 in accordance with the level of the water recovered in the reservoir portion 72 c , thereby keeping the amount of water in the reservoir portion 72 c within the given range.
- the eject button 40 is depressed to move the eject lever 36 from the initial position to the pushed-in position.
- the locking plate 34 is pressed by the lever 36 and moves from the locking position to the unlocking position.
- the hooks 38 are disengaged from their corresponding engaging recesses 57 of the personal computer 11 , whereupon the computer is unlocked.
- the computer is pulled up from the bearer section 16 with the locking plate 34 kept in the unlocking position, and the connector 71 is removed from the connector 32 of the fuel cell 10 and disengaged from the positioning protrusions 41 .
- the personal computer 11 can be removed.
- the magnet 55 on the eject lever 36 moves to a position where it faces the magnet sensor 97 before the lever 36 reaches the pushed-in position after starting to move from the initial position, as shown in FIG. 7 .
- the sensor 97 detects the magnet 55 and the movement of the lever 36 from the initial position toward the pushed-in position.
- the CPU 90 detects the movement of the eject lever 36 , i.e., the start of the eject operation, in response to a detection signal from the magnet sensor 97 .
- the driver 91 causes the driver 91 to shift and close the air valve 63 , exhaust valve 80 , and tank valve 87 , thereby closing the corresponding passages of the generator section 7 . Further, the CPU 90 urges the driver 91 to stop the operations of the air pump 64 , first and second liquid pumps 68 , recovery pump 76 , concentration detection pump 85 , and cooling fan 82 . Thereupon, the control section 29 switches the generator section 7 to a non-operating state before the personal computer 11 is released from the lock by the locking plate 34 after the start of the eject operation. After the generator section 7 is securely rendered non-operating, the computer 11 is unlocked and allowed to be removed from the fuel cell 10 .
- the start of the eject operation for the personal computer 11 is detected without delay, and the generator section 7 can be securely switched off before the unlocked computer is removed from the fuel cell.
- the valves can be closed, and the operations of the pumps and the cooling fan can be terminated. Accordingly, the valves cannot be left open, so that leakage of liquids, such as the fuel in the fuel cell 10 , can be securely prevented even when the fuel cell 10 is transported or turned upside down. At the same time, the liquids can be prevented from flowing backward, and occurrence of problems in the pumps and other equipment can be restrained. Thus, leakage and backflow of fuel, water, etc., can be prevented to ensure an fuel cell that is improved in safety and reliability.
- the exhaust temperature of the cathode is lowered to reduce evaporation of water by means of the first and second radiator sections 70 and 75 and the cooling fan 82 .
- the water can be recovered efficiently and reused for the power generation reaction.
- the problem of water shortage can be solved, and fuel of a desired concentration can be supplied to the electromotive unit 52 .
- the heating temperature of the electromotive unit 52 can be lowered by cooling the anode passage, so that the exhaust temperature of the cathode can be lowered more efficiently.
- the resulting fuel cell can perform prolonged stable power generation.
- exhaust air from the cooling fan 82 is mixed with exhaust air from the cathode passage and discharged to the outside of the body 14 .
- the exhaust air from the cathode passage contains some moisture, water drops may possibly be formed around the vents 22 of the body 14 .
- the moisture can be reduced to prevent formation of water drops by mixing the air from the cathode passage with the exhaust air from the fan 82 in the aforesaid manner.
- problems that are attributable to water drops can be prevented to ensure a high-reliability fuel cell.
- the present invention is not limited directly to the embodiment described above, and in carrying out the invention, its components may be modified and embodied without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Further, various inventions may be made by suitably combining a plurality of components described in connection with the foregoing embodiment. For example, some of the components according to the above-described embodiment may be omitted. Furthermore, components of different embodiments may be combined as required.
- the generator section comprises the fuel tank 50 , electromotive unit 52 , first and second radiator sections 70 and 75 , and mixing tank 54 that are arranged in the order named.
- this order of arrangement may be variously changed as required. If necessary, moreover, the arrangement of the passages and the valves and the number of valves may also be changed.
- the detector for detecting the movement of the eject lever is not limited to a magnetic sensor, and may alternatively be a sensor that detects the movement electrically or mechanically.
- the locking mechanism is not limited to a combination of a locking plate and hooks, and may be any other structure that can lock an electronic device in a connected position.
- the fuel cell according to the present invention is not limited to use with the personal computer described above, and may also be used as a power source for any other electronic devices, such as mobile devices, portable terminals, etc.
- the fuel cells are not limited to the DMFCs and may be of any other types, such as polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs).
- the cooling fan is not limited to the centrifugal fan and may alternatively be an axial flow fan.
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
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- Fuel Cell (AREA)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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JP2003-342334 | 2003-09-30 | ||
JP2003342334A JP4490665B2 (ja) | 2003-09-30 | 2003-09-30 | 燃料電池 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20050095467A1 US20050095467A1 (en) | 2005-05-05 |
US7252899B2 true US7252899B2 (en) | 2007-08-07 |
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US10/945,267 Expired - Fee Related US7252899B2 (en) | 2003-09-30 | 2004-09-21 | Fuel cell |
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US (1) | US7252899B2 (ja) |
JP (1) | JP4490665B2 (ja) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20100239955A1 (en) * | 2007-11-09 | 2010-09-23 | Panasonic Corporation | Fuel supply system |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN1998105A (zh) * | 2004-07-08 | 2007-07-11 | 直接甲醇燃料电池公司 | 燃料电池盒和燃料输送*** |
US20080029156A1 (en) * | 2006-01-19 | 2008-02-07 | Rosal Manuel A D | Fuel cartridge |
US20080131740A1 (en) * | 2006-01-19 | 2008-06-05 | Manuel Arranz Del Rosal | Fuel cartridge coupling valve |
US7833672B2 (en) * | 2006-09-08 | 2010-11-16 | Samsung Sdi Co., Ltd. | Modular direct fuel cell system with integrated processor |
US20090004536A1 (en) * | 2007-05-16 | 2009-01-01 | Paul Knauer | Direct methanol fuel cell process tower |
US20100255385A1 (en) * | 2009-04-03 | 2010-10-07 | Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab | Mobile electronic device with air inlet |
Citations (6)
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US5346778A (en) * | 1992-08-13 | 1994-09-13 | Energy Partners, Inc. | Electrochemical load management system for transportation applications |
JPH076777A (ja) | 1993-06-15 | 1995-01-10 | Osaka Gas Co Ltd | パッケージ型燃料電池発電装置 |
WO2003073257A1 (en) * | 2002-02-28 | 2003-09-04 | Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. | Information processing device having detector capable of detecting coordinate values, as well as changes thereof, of a plurality of points on display screen |
US20040013927A1 (en) * | 2001-06-01 | 2004-01-22 | Craig Lawrence | Fuel cell assembly for portable electronic device and interface, control, and regulator circuit for fuel cell powered electronic device |
US20040118221A1 (en) * | 2002-09-18 | 2004-06-24 | Siemens Ag | Belt force measuring device |
US20050058873A1 (en) * | 2003-09-12 | 2005-03-17 | Arthur Alan R. | Integral fuel cartridge and filter |
-
2003
- 2003-09-30 JP JP2003342334A patent/JP4490665B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2004
- 2004-09-21 US US10/945,267 patent/US7252899B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5346778A (en) * | 1992-08-13 | 1994-09-13 | Energy Partners, Inc. | Electrochemical load management system for transportation applications |
JPH076777A (ja) | 1993-06-15 | 1995-01-10 | Osaka Gas Co Ltd | パッケージ型燃料電池発電装置 |
US20040013927A1 (en) * | 2001-06-01 | 2004-01-22 | Craig Lawrence | Fuel cell assembly for portable electronic device and interface, control, and regulator circuit for fuel cell powered electronic device |
WO2003073257A1 (en) * | 2002-02-28 | 2003-09-04 | Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. | Information processing device having detector capable of detecting coordinate values, as well as changes thereof, of a plurality of points on display screen |
US20040118221A1 (en) * | 2002-09-18 | 2004-06-24 | Siemens Ag | Belt force measuring device |
US20050058873A1 (en) * | 2003-09-12 | 2005-03-17 | Arthur Alan R. | Integral fuel cartridge and filter |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20100239955A1 (en) * | 2007-11-09 | 2010-09-23 | Panasonic Corporation | Fuel supply system |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP2005108715A (ja) | 2005-04-21 |
US20050095467A1 (en) | 2005-05-05 |
JP4490665B2 (ja) | 2010-06-30 |
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